


see you soon

by leirskald



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: F/F, actually ot5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 10:58:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14103882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leirskald/pseuds/leirskald
Summary: Seungwan tries to be okay with everyone leaving for the new year's holiday, but it's hard when she's the one left behind.





	see you soon

**see you soon**

She sits at the kitchen table peeling tangerines. She’d insisted on using the bathroom last because there’s no rush — she hasn’t got a plane to catch or a cab waiting for her at the parking lot; she’s got nowhere to be but here. It’s something she’d rather not think about, afraid it’ll sting worse and then she’ll have to pick herself up from crying.

So she sits, still in full make-up, parting the flesh of tangerines and stripping pith off the slices. Her mind is echoes away. She tries not to let envy and resentment, barbed and restless, get to her. It’s late at night, way past midnight, and she doesn’t want to be left alone with her thoughts.

“Are you going to be okay?” Seulgi appears first, fresh-faced and clean. She’s lugging a suitcase after her.

Seungwan smiles. Because she has to. Because she knows family is sacred and what kind of person would she be if she didn’t feel happy for her friends? Breaks and vacations are rare and too short and all-the-more treasured because of it. So she slaps a bright smile onto her face.

“Of course.”

Seulgi makes a face like she doesn’t quite believe her. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Seungwan says, sounding exasperated. “I’ve got tons of things to do and you’re going to miss your flight so shoo.”

“I’ll bring back souvenirs,” Seulgi promises. “See you in a few days?”

Despite herself, Seungwan laughs. “Where would I go?”

Seulgi pads to where Seungwan sits barefooted, ankles crossed, and reaches out to clasp her shoulder. “I’ll call you.”

“You really don’t need to. I’m not some child, you know. I can survive on my own for a few days.”

Seulgi starts to smile. “For a few days,” she agrees, then slips into her shoes and waves her goodbye. And then Seulgi is gone for those few days.

Yerim emerges from her room next, mid-yell about some misplaced things she swore she’d left somewhere. She’s wheeling a luggage bag, too, and is frantically trying to locate her scarf while on the phone with, presumably, her mom. Her hair’s windblown and messy and Seungwan beckons her closer.

“Yes, yes, I’m on my way…”

Seungwan fixes her hair for her, neatening it with her fingers. Yerim leans in to kiss her cheek in thanks once she’s satisfied with it. Yerim leaves like that, mouthing ‘bye’, wearing her shoes like slippers.

The dorm has quietened down some after that, the way Yerim often leaves it. Their manager’s still lingering around, waiting for Sooyoung so she may be whisked away for her relentless individual schedules. Seungwan offers a tangerine slice to their manager, who looks worse for wear. Their manager accepts it, and there is a little comfort there, Seungwan supposes, that she’s not the only one suffering.

Sooyoung shuffles past eventually, looking equally tired. “See you later, unnie,” she mumbles, carrying on by. Seungwan presses some cooled tangerines into her hands before she goes.

Seungwan wonders what Joohyun is doing, and dreads Joohyun’s departure most. For some reason, it feels final, even though she knows it’s not. After Joohyun leaves, Seungwan will truly be alone for the next few days. Her fingers work fastidiously at the tangerine skin, secretly (and guiltily) hoping Joohyun will not have to leave at all.

But of course, she does. She’s going back to see her family at her hometown and eating well and having new-year celebrations, whereas Seungwan only has a dumpling recipe she’s been looking forward to trying and a phone call with her parents. Her heart is heavy and her eyes feel hot. She blinks away gathering wet heat.

Seungwan jolts when a hand touches the top of her head. “I’ll be going,” Joohyun says, softly. She’s dressed in a white long-sleeve and black leggings, with a cap pulled low over her face. She smells like body wash and Seungwan is trying not to visibly lean into her.

“Yeah,” Seungwan says. “Okay. Go safely.”

But the reassuring weight of Joohyun’s hand on the crown of Seungwan’s head doesn’t cease. Joohyun’s fixing her with a tender look that Seungwan can’t bear to look at. She just might cry otherwise, because part of her desperately wishes to go and be with her family as well.

“Take some with you as you go,” Seungwan says instead, dropping several peeled slices into Joohyun’s vacant hand.

“You still could come with me,” Joohyun offers, looking down at the tangerine slices in her palm.

Seungwan smiles, though it’s weak and a little watery, even. Damn it, and she was trying so hard not to cry, too. She shakes her head. “No, I don’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t be imposing,” Joohyun insists stubbornly.

Seungwan pats Joohyun’s upturned wrist. “It’s fine. Go be with your family.”

Joohyun huffs. Lifts her hand from Seungwan’s head. Seungwan feels its absence keenly, wishing Joohyun would touch her again.

“It’s fine, really,” Seungwan says, casually, trying not to make a big deal out of it. “Not my first time.”

“Seungwan…”

“You’re going to be late, unnie. Better get going.”

Joohyun puts the tangerines in Seungwan’s bowl, so she can lean in close and wrap her arms around Seungwan’s shoulders from the side. Seungwan stiffens at the soft press of Joohyun’s lips to her ear, at the warm weight of her that Seungwan thinks she’d be adrift without, at the sweet smell of Joohyun’s hair.

“Happy new year, Seungwan-ah,” Joohyun whispers.

Seungwan chokes up a little. She stops peeling tangerines, grips Joohyun’s arm to let her know she’s heard. They stay like that for a while, but not long enough before Joohyun’s easing her arms off Seungwan’s shoulders.

Joohyun kisses the side of her head. “See you soon, Seungwan. Call me, okay.”

Seungwan nods. Feels her throat clogged with tears and affection and even some desperation. Joohyun leaves her with a smile to last her the next few days, slotting a slice of tangerine peel into her mouth as she goes.

Seungwan makes short-rib dumplings with her manager later, well into the morning. She receives several texts informing her of her members’ safe arrivals, and happy reunions with their families. She cries, a little, after calling her parents and wishing them a happy new year, and then goes right back to making dumplings.

Seulgi calls her saying how her parents send their regards, extending an invite for next time, and Yerim sends her pictures of her little sisters. Joohyun calls sometime in the morning, her voice thick with sleep and a little hoarse from what Seungwan suspects is a very merry celebration.

“Seungwan? I miss you,” Joohyun had said.

“I miss you too.”

“I actually meant to wake up earlier to call you, but I think I slept through the alarm.”

Seungwan chuckles warmly into the phone. “That’s okay.”

“What did you do?”

“I made dumplings. Loads of them. I made enough for everyone. You can have some when you come h—,” Seungwan falters, unsure. Joohyun’s already at home, faraway in Daegu. It feels wrong and a little presumptuous of her to say it.

Then Joohyun says, low and sleep-warm and lovely, “You’re my home, too. See you soon.”

Sooyoung comes home a little later and they watch a movie together on the living room couch, though Sooyoung falls asleep barely halfway into the film and ends up snoring into Seungwan’s shoulder.

Seungwan thinks she’s home, too.


End file.
